NASBE Board Bulletin

Oregon Science Teacher To Be Named National Teacher of the Year

2008-04-29T17:56:00.001-04:00

Michael Geisen, a science teacher at Crook County Middle School in Prineville, Oregon, will be named 2008 National Teacher of the Year by President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony tomorrow, in an event with all of the 2008 state teachers of the year.

Geisen was born in Seattle, Washington, on April 27, 1973, and graduated in 1991 from Kentridge High School in Kent, Washington.

He received his bachelor’s degree in Forest Resource Management from the University of Washington in 1996, graduating magna cum laude. He began his professional career as a forester but while this was satisfying work for a while, eventually he missed the direct connection with people. Geisen earned a Master of Arts in Teaching, with a science endorsement, from Southern Oregon University in 2001 and began teaching that fall at Crook County Middle School. He is married to Jennifer Geisen and they have two children ages eight and five.

Geisen is the 58^thNational Teacher of the Year. He will begin a year as a full-time national and international spokesperson for education on June 1, 2008. The other 2008 National Teacher of the Year finalists are Lewis Chappelear, an engineering and design teacher at James Monroe High School in North Hills, California; June Teisan, a science teacher at Harper Woods Secondary School in Harper Woods, Michigan; and Thomas R. Smigiel, Jr., a teen leadership and science teacher at Norview High School in Norfolk, Virginia.

The current National Teacher of the Year is Andrea Peterson, an elementary school and board certified music teacher from Granite Falls, Washington. Additional information on the National Teacher of the Year Program can be accessed at http://www.ccsso.org/ntoy.

Teaching Students to be Students

2008-04-29T13:58:00.002-04:00

"Schools assume that a student will come in, and just know what to do," school psychologist Steve Franklin said. "At Webster, teaching a student how to be a student is really important. We don't expect them to already know how to read, to do math or write. So why aren't we teaching these things, too?"

A worthwhile read, this story about Webster School in San Diego, talks about how a homegrown program that explicitly teaches scholarly behaviors, transformed their school.

"Top achievers, [teachers] found, had mastered a behavioral code that equaled school success. They spoke up in class. They balanced when to speak and when to listen. They turned toward the speaker. Those behaviors -- not their brightness -- separated them from their lower-achieving peers and enabled them to absorb information. If the school explicitly taught students those behaviors, [principal Jennifer] White reasoned, wouldn't they do better?"

Grad Requirements being opposed by local boards in PA

2008-04-28T14:48:00.001-04:00

The Pennsylvania State Board of Education’s attempt to standardize the state’s graduation requirements is running into opposition from local school boards.

“The Board of Education passed the rules, as part of the governor's quest to make high school diplomas more meaningful. The regulations are now undergoing a lengthy regulatory process, but if approved will go into effect starting with the class of 2014 — today's sixth-graders…[but] school boards from more than 100 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts have passed resolutions opposing the adoption of the 10 “high stakes” exams in English, math, social studies and science,” reports phillyburbs.com.

2008-04-28T14:41:00.001-04:00

Mississippi State Board Chair Claude Hartley is generally pleased with the education initiatives passed by the state legislature this year.

Not So Plain Dealing

2008-04-28T10:42:00.001-04:00

The Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial page chimes in on Ohio Governor Ted Strickland’s attacks on school’s chief Susan Zelman with a predictably muddled suggestion that “ compromise seems in order, and the state board should meet the governor halfway,” a compromise which the PD later clarifies as a dignified departure for Zelman.

That’s a compromise?

Crew Ready to Leave Miami?

2008-04-22T09:12:00.001-04:00

Dr. Rudy Crew, NASBE’s recent Legislative Conference Keynoter and 2008 National Superintendent of the Year “told Education Daily® on Monday that he is frustrated with the politics of the [Miami-Dade] system and that “the day is coming” when he may leave.

‘I am running tired of dealing with some members of my board,” Crew said. “They have been disrespectful of the work and almost everything we’ve done.’”

Florida State Board Interview

2008-04-21T09:03:00.001-04:00

An interview with Florida State Board member Phoebe Raulerson.

A Jukebox Hero

2008-04-14T14:50:00.001-04:00

There are rock stars (Elvis, Bono), then came rock star CEOs (Lee Iacocca, Bill Gates), and rock star lawyers (F. Lee Bailey, Johnny Cochrane). At one time, there was even rock star stock analysts (Henry Blodget).

Now comes, of course, rock star school superintendents. “Fewer qualified candidates, rising expectations, and a near-impossible job description are creating a new breed of superintendents: Call them central office rock stars. These candidates say that, for the right price, they're willing to do an unpopular job that can take a heavy personal and professional toll to whip underperforming districts into shape,” explains the article.

One superstar supe they identify is Dr. Rudy Crew, Miami-Dade’s superintendent and the 2008 National Superintendent of the Year. He was also the keynote speaker at NASBE’s recent Legislative Conference. And he was received like…..well, a rock star.

(Thanks to Tom Brewster.)

Senate Support for Vermont State Board

2008-04-08T16:24:00.001-04:00

Bill Doyle, Vermont’s Senate Minority Leader and vice-chairman of the Senate Education Committee, writes in defense of the Vermont State Board of Education (indeed, all state boards of education) in the state’s largest paper amid legislative efforts to dismantle the state board.

“The state Board of Education and the commissioner of education have taken a leading role in framing the conversation about transforming the state's education system and preparing Vermont's children for the world that awaits them,” says Doyle. “The board and the commissioner have been involved in numerous conversations with various constituent groups -- students, parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, legislators, school board members and business leaders. The Board of Education and the commissioner have plans for transforming the state's education system and creating a 21st Century learning environment.”

“It has been the right conversation to have. Vermont has an excellent education system with a lengthy history of accomplishments over many years. In a number of key categories, Vermont student have compared very well with their national peers, but the Vermont state board understands, as do state boards of education through the country, the status quo can never be sufficient in the arena of public education.”

Click here for the full article.

2008-04-08T12:08:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite education bloggers gets a longer form piece published in Slate magazine this week – on Senator Barack Obama’s school reform record.

2008-04-03T15:54:00.001-04:00

This Illinois columnist offers a cynical summary of education governance in the Land of Lincoln over the past 15 years. As per usual, a lot of it has to do with money.

Chronicle Profiles Berlanga

2008-04-01T15:28:00.001-04:00

The state’s English standards policy is personal for Texas State Board Member Mary Helen Berlanga, now in her 26^th year on the State Board of Education.

Students Get a Voice

2008-04-01T15:00:00.003-04:00

The Pennsylvania State Board of Education's student representation committee is expected to recommend in May that the board's bylaws be amended so two students can participate. In Maine, the state board will soon appoint two student board members. Both states were part of NASBE's Student Leadership Initiative, supported by MetLife Foundation, to help strengthen education and to encourage leadership development among young people.

"Having a student at the table is critical ... when you talk about things like high-stakes testing or graduation requirements," said project director Lori Meyer. "These students are living it every day."

Read more about student leadership on state boards of education here.

Idaho Board under Attack

2008-04-01T14:54:00.002-04:00

"The Idaho Senate Education Committee wants Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter to strip some power from the State Board of Education and give it to the Department of Education, according to a letter made public Friday."

The recommendations include giving the governor more power to fire the president of the state board.

Read more here.

A "Bad Idea"

2008-04-01T14:22:00.001-04:00

“It's up to the Florida House of Representatives now to protect the state's schools from the bad idea to elect a commissioner of education,” declares an Orlando Sentinel editorial about pending governance changes in Florida.

Achievement Gap Club

2008-03-26T15:22:00.002-04:00

"Every other Wednesday morning at T.R. Smedberg Middle School in south Sacramento, about 30 seventh- and eighth-grade students meet to talk about something that confounds educators: the achievement gap."

It makes sense, but yet it's revolutionary- ask the students who make up the statistics what can be done lessen the achievement gap.

At the first meeting more than two years ago the school principal Keven MacDonald came in with six binders of research and threw them on the floor, and said to the students, "These experts don't have the answers. The gap has existed for 50 years. Why don't you tell me what we need to do?"

Read more about the club here.

Legislative Test

2008-03-24T14:51:00.001-04:00

The Washington Post editorial page urges Maryland legislatures not to water down the state’s high school exit exam requirement, noting that “Maryland lawmakers historically have left education policy to the state board.” The situation is a reminder of what happens when high standards meet political realities, and suggests that legislators are the biggest impediment to education reform, or, at the very least, strong accountability.

Making the Law Work

2008-03-24T12:17:00.001-04:00

“Once again, Margaret Spellings is doing the right thing for schools by bending, if not actually breaking, the law. The No Child Left Behind Act was so poorly conceived that occasionally the secretary of Education has to disobey it to make it work,” writes the LA Times editorial page in response to the Secretary’s new differentiated accountability proposal.

Wick to the Rescue

2008-03-20T10:37:00.001-04:00

Ohio State Board Member Carl Wick comes to the defense of state school superintendent Susan Zelman, who Buckeye Governor Ted Strickland is trying to oust.

An excerpt from Wick’s letter: “You made brutally critical comments about Dr. Susan Zelman yesterday to the Cincinnati Enquirer. This greatly disturbs me. This approach is not dignified, virtuous or professional.

Having said this, the State Board of Education, made up of an assortment of Ohio citizens, many of which voted for you including some Rs serving on the board, supports Dr. Zelman. Her last appraisal had 100% board support. There are good reasons for this support. Can we all be wrong?

We know Dr. Zelman has shortcomings, which we all have, but she has been the single catalyst in improving and moving Ohio public education forward. Ohio was in the middle of the states but is now ranked 7th. May I ask, “How do you think we got there?”

Advantage - Welburn

2008-03-20T10:34:00.001-04:00

Brenda Welburn’s “good point” regarding recent attempts by governors to oust their chief state school officers.

Chairman of Massachusetts State Board Appointed Secretary of Education

2008-03-17T15:35:00.002-04:00

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced his selection of Paul Reville as the new Secretary of Education, the cabinet-level position created by legislation passed this past January. Mr. Reville currently serves as the chairman of the Massachusetts State Board of Education, appointed by Governor Patrick in August 2006. As the first Secretary of Education since 1996, Reville will have oversight over the departments of Early Education and Care; Elementary and Secondary Education, and Higher Education. “I am honored to assume the role of Secretary for a Governor who is deeply committed to making schools more effective instruments of building equity, excellence and opportunity for all students in the Commonwealth,” commented Reville, who will take office on July 1st.

Healthy School Lunches Radio Show

2008-03-07T11:08:00.001-05:00

Back Porch with Dave and Bob (an Internet talk radio show at grapevineradio.com) will have a one hour show this Friday March 7th at 2pm MST focused solely on Healthy School Lunches. Their guests include Amie Hamlin of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food and Chef Seth Bixby Daugherty, Founder of Real Food Initiatives.

Idaho Governor to Make Governance Changes

2008-02-26T16:13:00.001-05:00

Idaho “’Gov. C.L. "Butch’ Otter said Monday he plans to make changes to the State Board of Education,” reports the Times-News.

Spellings and State Boards

2008-02-22T12:16:00.001-05:00

This is the second state board of education meeting in a week Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has attended. One more and it will officially be a trend. http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/02/02212008.html

2008-02-20T14:25:00.001-05:00

Texas State Board Member Pat Hardy gets the endorsement of the Star Telegram in the upcoming Republican primary.

Children, Poverty and Learning

2008-02-19T10:20:00.001-05:00

“Poverty in early childhood poisons the brain,” says the American Association for the Advancement of Science by way of the Financial Times.

School Lunch Meat Recalled

2008-02-19T10:03:00.001-05:00

143 million pounds of meat are being recalled – some which was consumed in the school lunch program - because of a slaughterhouse’s use of sick cows. “Agriculture officials said there was little health risk from the recalled meat because…much of the meat had already been eaten,” reports the NY Times.

No Knee Jerk Reaction

2008-02-19T09:59:00.001-05:00

The conventional wisdom regarding ACL injuries in youths – that they rarely occur - is all wrong according to this NY Times article. In fact, diagnoses are on the rise thanks to MRIs and the increased risk of year-round sports competition. And girls are more susceptible (8x more susceptible) to the injury than boys. The results have big implications for a child’s growth and development, to say nothing of their future participation in athletic activities.

Tough Times in West Virginia

2008-02-15T09:18:00.001-05:00

Marc Tucker, author of Tough Times, Tough Choices – is trying to convince the West Virginia State Board of Education to adopt some of the dramatic recommendations in that report. Among them: allowing high school students to forego their last two years of school if they pass a graduation test, raising teacher salaries above $100,000, and having school boards transfer most educational services to private vendors.

California State Board Member Reappointed

2008-02-15T09:08:00.001-05:00

“James Aschwanden, 53, was reappointed Thursday to the state Board of Education by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Aschwanden has served on the board since 2006 and has served as executive director of the California Agricultural Teachers Association since 2003,” reports the Record.

Action in Jackson

2008-02-15T09:05:00.001-05:00

U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings is in Mississippi today to meet with the State Board of Education and other school leaders.

KY Commissioner Withdraws Request for More Time

2008-02-14T17:49:00.001-05:00

“Kentucky Education Commissioner Jon Draud today withdrew his request for additional time off.

Draud had asked the Kentucky Board of Education for 20 days of annual leave each year, instead of the 12 days to which he was entitled as a state government employee, and a one-time bonus of 30 sick leave days. Both were given to him by the state board yesterday…

Draud’s request, and the school board’s unanimous vote that granted him the extra days, raised questions from some, including [Governor] Beshear, as the state wrestles with a budget shortfall.

‘I question the appearance this creates during this time of financial crisis,’ Beshear said yesterday. ‘I trust that the state board took that into consideration before making its decision,’” reports the Courier-Journal.

Positive Press for Michigan State Board

2008-02-14T09:20:00.001-05:00

“The [Michigan] state Board of Education should seek permission from the federal government to allow students in alternative high schools and dropout recovery programs an extra year to graduate,” says this Grand Rapids editorial. “The state Board of Education has a compelling case to present to the federal government. Board members should make the case, and in so doing be able to make Michigan's schools better.”

Education Curriculum War Avoided in Texas

2008-02-14T09:18:00.001-05:00

“A potential fight over a rewrite of the state's English and reading curriculum fizzled Wednesday with the State Board of Education simply agreeing to improve an existing proposal instead of junking it,” reports the Houston Chronicle.

State Board Endorseement in Texas

2008-02-14T09:15:00.001-05:00

Texas State Board Member Mary Helen Berlanga gets the re-election endorsement of her local paper.

Writes the Caller-Times, “We say the voters have been lucky because Berlanga has been a voice of reason on a 15-member board that has been, off and on, riven by ideologues with their own agenda. She has been a steady influence for professionalism in education. Without Berlanga on the board, along with those members who are allied to her side, you can be sure there would have been much mischief made with public education in Texas…

Berlanga for more than two decades has been a steady influence for the mainstream education professionals and classroom teachers. She pushed to keep spelling textbooks in the elementary grades. She has opposed efforts to politicize the Texas Education Agency as well as the State Board of Education. Her continued presence on the board could be critical as ideologues seek to gain an advantage and control what schoolchildren are taught in Texas classrooms.”

Inspecting the Cadillac

2008-02-14T09:11:00.001-05:00

Called "the Cadillac" of deaf and blind education, the Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind “has its supporters - and its critics. The State Board of Education is now considering cuts in the school's budget, leaving students here to think that officials have largely ignored their concerns,” reports the Times-News.

Congratulations to Herschend

2008-02-14T09:10:00.001-05:00

The longest serving member on the Missouri State Board of Education was confirmed by the state senate for another term. Pete Herschend was appointed to the state board in 1991 and his new term will run through 2015.

More on Strickland Governance Surprise

2008-02-14T09:02:00.001-05:00

“Education leaders say Gov. Ted Strickland’s plan to expand his control over education policy by creating a cabinet-level education director would politicize Ohio’s public schools,” reports the Times Reporter.

Buckeye Governor Seeks to Strip Board of Authority

2008-02-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

“State Board Members Slam Governor’s School Plan” is the headline in the Dayton Daily News

Michigan Leaders Debate Raising Compulsory School Age

2008-02-14T08:54:00.001-05:00

"We can't keep doing things the way we've been doing them, or they will continue to drop out," said Michigan State Board of Education President Kathleen Straus to state lawmakers at a hearing recently in support of the governor’s proposal to combat the dropout problem by raising the state’s compulsory school age to 18.

Increased Heart Rate = Increased Achievement

2008-02-13T10:18:00.002-05:00

As NASBE has been saying since 1987, when we first partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to form the Center for Safe and Healthy Schools, exercise plays a critical role in improving student achievement. So says this Ed Week article published today..

Research that helps make the case:

One study found that "children who got good marks on two measures of physical fitness—those that gauge aerobic fitness and body-mass index—tended also to have higher scores on state exams in reading and mathematics. That relationship also held true regardless of children’s gender or socieconomic differences."

"Another study involving 163 overweight children in Augusta, GA, found, in addition, that the cognitive and academic benefits of exercise seemed to increase with the size of the dose."

"Students who took part in both an early-morning exercise program and extra literacy class showed 1.34 of a year’s growth on standardized reading tests, while the gain for the students in the literacy-only group was seven-tenths of a year."

It's a worthwhile read and helps solidify the point the PE has an important role in this standardized testing era.

Middleton Elected to Legislature

2008-02-12T15:20:00.001-05:00

Colorado State Board of Education member Karen Middleton has been elected to fill a vacancy in the state legislature and is resigning her state board seat.

Commonwealth Changes

2008-02-12T15:18:00.001-05:00

The Boston Herald doesn’t like the governance changes in Massachusetts that give Governor Deval Patrick new unilateral powers over education in the commonwealth.

Start Early

2008-02-06T14:06:00.000-05:00

The New York Times wrote about the Parent-Child Home Program which aims to foster literacy and teach parents how to prepare their children for school. The program operates in 150 poor communities in 13 states.

"It may well become a national model as the effort to close the achievement gap focuses on how young children are being raised at home."

Read more of "A Head Start on Head Start" here- a worthwhile read for a fresh perspective on closing the achievement gap.

Playing Nice

2008-02-05T10:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, in an interesting turn of events, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley asked legislative leaders to not move forward with a bill that would have effectively rescinded the new term of State Schools Superintendent Nancy Grasmick.

“Dr. Grasmick and I have had a real good talk and a direct talk about the need to come together and work to improve education for the future," O'Malley said.

Read more here and for a great picture, here.

Maryland Power Struggle

2008-01-31T11:48:00.000-05:00

Democratic leaders in the Maryland General Assembly will likely introduce a bill early next week aimed at rescinding the recent reappointment of State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick.

The proposal would make it so that the four-year term of a superintendent would end two years into the tern of a new governor, thus allowing the governor to have input into the selection process. Additionally, the bill would give the governor the option of appointing an education adviser to his or her Cabinet. Currently the state superintendent is the only member of the Cabinet that does not serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

A senior aide in the office of Governor Martin O'Malley said, "The governor is not interested in exercising direct control over the appointment of the superintendent, but the current system doesn't make sense."

The board's decision in December to extend Grasmick's term drew sharp criticism from both the governor and democratic members of the state assembly.

The legislation would push back the end of Grasmick's term to December, when O'Malley appointees will have gained a majority on the State Board of Education.

State Senate President Miller commented, "If they look at her and say she's the best person for the job, then she should kepp the job, but this is a lady who is closely aligned with the enemy camp implementing your policy on something as important as education."

Read more here.

State of the Union Preview

2008-01-28T17:18:00.000-05:00

Washington, DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee will one of the First Lady’s guests for tonight’s State of the Union address.

Highlights of the education issues to be featured by President Bush this evening:

· A White House Summit on inner city children and faith-based schools will be held this spring in Washington, D.C.

· $300 million for “Pell Grants for Kids,” K-12 scholarships for low-income students in low-performing schools

· $800 million for scholarships to attend after-school and summer school programs

· Praise for the Washington, DC voucher program.

Click here for more information about these initiatives.

High School the McDonald's Way

2008-01-28T09:59:00.001-05:00

Would you like fries with that diploma?

Praise for Volunteer Board

2008-01-24T17:08:00.001-05:00

Editorial praise for the Tennessee State Board of Education. “The state Board of Education's plan to make public schools harder is a good start,” writes the Knoxville News.

Everyday Mathematica

2008-01-23T17:16:00.001-05:00

A sample page of the 3^rd grade math textbook that is the subject of controversy in Texas.

Chicago To Translate State Asssessments

2008-01-23T17:04:00.001-05:00

“Chicago Public School officials volunteered Thursday to pay at least $120,000 to translate the state math and science exams into Spanish, to help students who have limited-English language skills.

In years past, those children took the Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English in math and reading. Those exams are written in English but have fewer and easier questions than the regular state achievement exams.

But after a two-year battle with state officials, the U.S. Department of Education ruled that the IMAGE test -- initially created to measure language acquisition -- does not adequately assess math and reading skills.

Federal officials said that unless the state could come up with a better exam for these students, the children must take the grade school Illinois Standards Achievement Tests or the high school Prairie State Achievement Exam, or the state would risk losing federal money.

As a compromise, Chicago officials offered to create an audio translation for the major tests,” reports the Chicago Tribune.

Mayoral Appointments?

2008-01-23T14:11:00.001-05:00

At least one elected member of the Nashville, Tennessee school board thinks the mayor should appoint all the members…including him.

Pay for Grades

2008-01-23T14:06:00.001-05:00

“The Baltimore school system will pay high school students who improve their scores on the state graduation exams up to $110 each, a controversial plan that would be a first in Maryland.

The system will spend $935,622 on the student incentives, part of a $6.3 million plan to help students struggling to pass Maryland's High School Assessments that administrators presented to the school board last night.

State Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick approved the plan last week. But in a letter to city schools chief Andres Alonso, she expressed concern about the "lack of ... research" supporting student incentives and required the system to closely track student results,” reports the Baltimore Sun.

Textbook Power Play

2008-01-23T12:33:00.001-05:00

Another power play by the Texas State Board of Education over textbook adoption bemoans the Waco Tribune.

Four More Years?

2008-01-23T12:30:00.001-05:00

“If college students can take more than four years to graduate, why not high school students?,” asks the Grand Rapids Press. “State educators are considering a proposal to raise the number of years before graduation for some Michigan high school students.

Ending Standars Redundancy in Mississippi

2008-01-23T12:28:00.001-05:00

“Mississippi's [school] ratings - and performance accountability - predate federal requirements and are in many ways redundant. Having state and national standards has led to confusion over which tests are more accurate, or which criteria should be measured. Abolishing rankings for a year should help state leaders assess the issue,” says this Clarion Ledger editorial.

Backsliding in Mass?

2008-01-23T12:26:00.001-05:00

Is Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s education reform proposals a retreat from the policies that made the state a model of K-12 success? Yes, says Joe Williams, who charges that “Patrick created an education task force to craft his blueprint for education policy, but the ‘vision statement’ that is guiding this task force barely mentions charters and leaves the door open to watering down MCAS,” in this Boston Globe op-ed.

MLK Honor for Ohio Member

2008-01-23T12:22:00.001-05:00

Ohio State Board member Jennifer Stewart was honored this week at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Breakfast.

Eight

2008-01-23T10:13:00.001-05:00

Eight! 8!

That is the number of children in the District of Columbia who have been shot in drive by shootings over the past two weeks. The latest were three high school students wounded yesterday after a gunman fired in what police believe to be a gang related incident outside Ballou High School with about two hundred children in the immediate vicinity.

Parenting Classes Required in Texas Schools

2008-01-14T13:28:00.001-05:00

“A new state law requires that parenting and paternity awareness be included in the high school health curriculum by 2008-09. The [Texas} State Board of Education plans this week to adopt a curriculum developed by the Office of the Attorney General, an agency charged with, among other duties, cracking down on fathers who fail to support their children,” says the Houston Chronicle.

To Text or Not to Text?

2008-01-14T13:26:00.001-05:00

“Beginning in August 2007, the N.C.A.A. banned Division I colleges from using text messaging to recruit athletes, citing complaints from students that the practice was driving up cellphone bills and intruding on personal time.

Now, in an unusual move, representatives from the N.C.A.A.’s Division I members are expected to revisit the issue Saturday at their annual convention after 34 of the 329 colleges asked for an override vote. To reverse the ban, at least five-eighths of the delegates in attendance would have to approve it,” reports the NY Times, which notes that “the issue has turned into an unlikely battle of the generations. In one corner are college coaches and athletic directors…In the other corner are college and high school students asking for a little more respect.”

To Grasmick's Defense

2008-01-14T12:10:00.001-05:00

The Washington Post editorial page rises to the defense of Maryland State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick in her feud with Governor Martin O’Malley…sort of. As per usual with Washington Post editorials on education, it’s a mishmash of messages without a central point or consistent argument.

Arizona Budget Concerns

2008-01-14T11:20:00.001-05:00

The state’s budget crisis should not derail Arizona’s education goals writes incoming state board president Vicki Balentine.

New Nutrition Policy In Moutaineer State

2008-01-11T08:50:00.001-05:00

“Beginning July 1, the sale of caffeinated beverages will be banned in West Virginia public schools under a nutrition policy approved by the state Board of Education,” reports the Charleston Daily Mail.

Happy Birthday NCLB

2008-01-08T10:12:00.000-05:00

Today marks the sixth birthday of No Child left Behind. President Bush and Secretary Spellings were in Chicago yesterday at Horace Greeley Elementary, the only Blue Ribbon school in the city, to celebrate. Read more about the visit here.

During the press gaggle aboard Air Force One in route to Chicago, Secretary Spellings made the following comments:

"I think the important thing as we reflect on the anniversary...is, you know, it's time for us to take stock, to embrace what has worked in No Child Left Behind, and improve the things that should be improved. That's why we have reauthorizations in the Congress, that is why every six years the Congress gives itself an opportunity to stop, look and listen, and correct things that may need improvement."

Perhaps more interestingly: "And so what the President is going to say is that we want the Congress to act. We hope they will. But if they don't, I'll take administrative steps at the Department, as I have in the last three years, to start to work on some of these matters."

Read more here.

Principal on Wheels

2008-01-07T15:23:00.000-05:00

“Cheryl Pasteur, principal of Randallstown High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, is known as ‘The Principal on Wheels’ because she spends the entire school day in the hallways and classrooms, all the while pushing the cart that doubles as her office. On her cart, Pasteur carries key trappings of her office, including a travel mug of green tea, her BlackBerry, a walkie-talkie, a can of candy, a box of tissues and her planner. She brings a stack of paperwork but says she rarely gets to it until the end of the day.”

Ms. Pasteur exemplifies accessibility every day as she pushes her cart around the school, focusing primarily on what matters most- teaching and learning. She created avenues for teachers to voice opinions via a teachers’ council and encouraged the community to get involved. Kudos to “Miss P” for thinking outside the box and working diligently to get the job done.

NASBE is part of The Wallace Foundation’s Education Leadership Initiative to place quality leadership at the core of school reform. Read more about our work on educational leadership here.

Intriguing New NCLB Twist

2008-01-07T12:23:00.001-05:00

The 6^th Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed the lower court decision in Pontiac v. Spellings (whither NCLB is an unfunded mandate) and remanded the case for further proceedings.

What Does the Ohio State Board Do?

2008-01-03T09:59:00.001-05:00

Ohio State Board member Jane Sonenshein answers that question in this guest column.

Evolution in SC

2008-01-02T17:08:00.001-05:00

“The South Carolina Board of Education could end up debating evolution next month as it considers whether to endorse a high school biology textbook,” reports the Charlotte Observer.

A New Commish

2008-01-02T16:58:00.001-05:00

The Boston Globe editorial page weighs in on the search for a new Massachusetts Commissioner of Education.

Federal Education Budget Signed

2008-01-02T10:45:00.000-05:00

On December 26, President Bush signed into a law a bill that will increase federal education spending by 2.9 percent in fiscal 2008.

Funding for the Title I program for disadvantaged students increased 8.6 percent to $13.9 billion ($12.8 billion was appropriated for the program in fiscal 2007). The Reading First program however was cut significantly, dropping from $1 billion last year to $393 million in fiscal 2008.

In addition to the major increase for Title I and the cut to Reading First, the measure will appropriate:

• $10.9 billion for K-12 state grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a nearly 1 percent increase over the fiscal 2007 level of $10.8 billion;

• $2.93 billion to help states improve the quality of their teachers, a 1.7 percent increase; and

• $1.2 billion for career and vocational education programs, a 0.5 percent decrease.

New Chairwoman in S. Carolina

2007-12-17T15:10:00.001-05:00

An interview with the newly-elected Chairwoman of the South Carolina State Board of Education.

College Concussions

2007-12-07T17:29:00.001-05:00

Note in this NY Times story about college football player concussions the primary concern of Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh about the concussion recently suffered by his QB. Harbaugh isn’t worried about the player’s health so much, but whether his injury will impact his performance. “If there was some kind of postconcussion effect, like being not as accurate with his passes, that would without question impact how much he plays,” Harbaugh said.”

Charter School Reforms Proposed in Florida

2007-12-06T15:01:00.001-05:00

“Florida's 358 charter schools need greater academic scrutiny and tighter fiscal supervision, according to recommendations being released today by the state Senate.

In particular, a report by the Senate Education Committee takes aim at the large numbers of charters that do not receive the annual state grades handed out to public schools and financial arrangements that have taken money from the classroom,” reports the Orlando Sentinel.

New NCES Report: Public High School Dropouts: School Year 2004-05

2007-12-06T14:58:00.001-05:00

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has just released the report "Numbers and Rates of Public High School Dropouts: School Year 2004-05"

This report presents findings on the numbers and rates of public school students who dropped out of school in school years 2002-03, 2003-04, and 2004-05, using data from the CCD State-Level Public Use Data File on Public School Dropouts for these years. The report includes high school dropout rates by state, region, school district size, and several student characteristics.

They Like Me, They Really Like Me

2007-11-30T16:13:00.000-05:00

An interesting new study found that parents value student satisfaction over teacher performance when selecting their child's teacher.

The study looked at which teachers parents in one Western U.S. school district requested and what qualities those teachers possessed according to their principals. Parents in the district are allowed to request certain teachers.

"When given the choice between a teacher with high satisfaction ratings and an average teacher, parents in wealthier schools were likely to choose the high-satisfaction teacher 65 percent of the time. They weren't, however, much more likely to choose a high-achieving teacher over an average one. Meanwhile, at poorer schools, the results were almost reversed. Parents at poorer schools weren't any more likely to choose the high-satisfaction teacher over an average one. They were, however, more likely to choose a high-achieving teacher than an average one - that is, if they made requests at all."

To read more about the study, read this.

The Value of Social Capital

2007-11-27T16:14:00.000-05:00

A study of Pittsburgh Public Schools by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Business, found that schools in schools where teachers talked to each other and principals stayed in touch with the community, math and reading achievement was higher. In fact, the researchers found that these communication networks had a greater impact on test scores than the experience or credentials of the staff.

The economic phrase for these relationships among teachers and between principals and the outside community is "social capital," while measurements of experience and training are called "human capital."

The bottom line of the study, according to lead researcher Dr. Carrie Leana, is that social capital "is a more powerful predictor" of success than human capital, and "if you had to invest in something, you'd be better off investing in social capital than human capital."

Many schools do not provide ample opportunity for teacher collaboration, especially elementary schools. Dr. Leana recommends that principals encourage "interaction and connections among the faculty."

G&T

2007-11-26T09:37:00.001-05:00

“They're not mentioned under No Child Left Behind. They're not assisted by federal funding or programs.

Gifted students in Pennsylvania must rely on the state Department of Education to make sure public schools challenge them intellectually.

So with changes proposed to the state's gifted education regulations, known as Chapter 16, a network of parents and advocates are weighing in,” reports the Allentown Morning Call.

Too Much Testing?

2007-11-20T17:27:00.001-05:00

“A state commission agreed today on a draft report saying ‘there is too much time spent on testing’ and that several exams should be eliminated or no longer counted in the state’s testing program,” reports the Charlotte Observer.

“The Blue Ribbon Commission on Testing and Accountability agreed to recommend to the state Board of Education that the fourth-, seventh- and 10th-grade writing tests and the eighth-grade computer skills tests be eliminated.”

2007-11-20T17:26:00.001-05:00

“Phil Kirk, vice president of external relations for Catawba College and chairman emeritus of the State Board of Education, has been elected chair-elect of the Public School Forum of North Carolina. He will succeed Sen. Katie Dorsett of Guilford County as chair of the Raleigh-based organization.

The Public School Forum of North Carolina was organized more than 20 years ago to work for the improvement of public schools in the state. The board of directors is composed of representatives from business, education and government.

Kirk has previously served as the president and CEO of North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry,” reports the Business Journal.

Reading at Risk, says NEA (and NASBE!)

2007-11-20T11:04:00.000-05:00

A new report from the National Endowment for the Arts, To Read or Not To Read, found that Americans are reading less and their reading proficiency is declining at troubling rate.

The NEA analysis found that scores among elementary school students have been improving, but scores for among middle school students are flat and slightly declining among high school seniors.

"We are doing a better job of teaching kids to read in elementary school. But once they enter adolescence, they fall victim to a general culture which does not encourage or reinforce reading. Because these people then read less, they read less well. Because they read less well, they do more poorly in school, in the job market and in civic life," said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia.

For the last several years, the NASBE has supported states in improving adolescent literacy achievement, particularly though our State Adolescent Literacy Network. To learn more about NASBE's efforts to improve adolescent literacy achievement, please visit our website.

Texas AG Gets Appeal Regarding State Board Textbook Rejection

2007-11-19T16:36:00.001-05:00

“The State Board of Education is violating the law by censoring what information will be in school books, a watchdog group said Friday, asking the state attorney general's office to intervene.

The complaint stems from a vote earlier in the day in which the board rejected a proposed mathematics book for third-graders. State law allows the board to reject a textbook only if it fails to cover the state's curriculum standards, has factual errors or does not meet manufacturing requirements,” reports the Associated Press. Click here for the full story.

Pest Removal

2007-11-19T16:34:00.001-05:00

“The ill-conceived idea of making election to the Utah State Board of Education a partisan affair is similar to that squirrely head that keeps popping up in the old arcade game of Whack-A-Mole. Reasonable legislators whack it down in one legislative session, but it just pops up in the next. Next time this power-grabbing-by-politicizing the public school system appears as a formal bill - and that could be in 2008 - the pest should be decapitated once and for all,” says a Salt Lake Tribune editorial.

What's It Cost?

2007-11-16T11:09:00.001-05:00

What’s it cost to educate a student with no special needs in a large school district with an average cost of living to “proficiency?” Pennsylvania has just completed a “costing-out” study and pegs the expense at $8,003 per year based on its academic standards.

But when students living in poverty, the number of limited English proficient (LEP) students, special education and gifted students are also factored in, the average cost rises to $12,057.

Based on that figure, 474 of the state’s 501 school districts spend less than that. Indeed, as the Post-Gazette reports, “The state and school districts spent an average of about $9,512 per student during the 2005-06 school year, the most recent year for which the state has data…state and local governments would need to spend about $4.81 billion per year more on education than they do today, the study concluded,” with Philadelphia needing more than $1 billion of that money.

Grade 'Em All

2007-11-13T16:13:00.000-05:00

Merryl H. Tisch, vice-chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents, wrote an editorial published in today's New York Post about New York City's new school-report-card initiative, which assigns A-to-F grades to all public schools. Tisch calls for the inclusion of charter schools in the grading initiative in order to "validate the importance and integrity of charters."

Tisch continues, "As the new school-report cards debuted last week, I was among a group of seasoned educators in Queens. Sitting between two principals, whose schools had gotten an A and a B, I listened as they spoke of the grading system and made plans to visit with each other and share their experiences. This is what the report cards were intended to produce: sharing of ideas, leading to enhanced learning environments. Why leave charter schools out of this exchange? Why work to further the distance between charter schools and their totally public counterparts?"

Read more here.

Congrats Ms. Reina

2007-11-08T09:46:00.000-05:00

Tamara Reina, who teaches English and U.S. history at the East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility, was named on Monday as one of five California teachers of the year.

"I'd like to use this opportunity as a discussion point about kids, about their potential, about keeping kids engaged in the educational process, about preventing the kinds of stories I have in my classroom," Reina said. "I think [the award] acknowledges that positive proactive education can go on anywhere."

"Ms. Reina is not only an outstanding, thoroughly committed teacher, she is mentor, counselor, confidante, and, sometimes, parent to young men - many of whom are serious juvenile offenders," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. "Yet she is a steadfast supporter of her students and a true believer in their potential. Beyond the razor wire and sliding steel doors, Ms. Reina gives books to students who've never read one and hope to those who've never had any."

NASBE congratulates Ms. Reina and commends her for her steadfast dedication to the children society too often gives up on.

Utah Voucher Defeat

2007-11-08T09:45:00.001-05:00

Utah voters have once again reaffirmed their confidence in their public schools by decisively rejecting the state referendum on private school vouchers. The 2-1 margin against vouchers is testament to the satisfaction Utah families, educators, and the public have with their schools.

Whenever the issue of vouchers has been put before the public for a vote, vouchers have lost overwhelmingly. The public in states ranging from California to Michigan and now Utah inherently understands the community benefits of public education. No matter how much advertising millionaire dot com tycoon voucher ideologues buy to try to convince them to the contrary, voters are able to see through the false promises of vouchers and disregard the scurrilous attacks on their public schools.

The leadership role of Kim Burningham, chairman of the Utah State Board of Education, for his support of public education should also be noted. Kim’s energy, vision, and eloquence, were a source of inspiration and confidence to many during this election campaign. Utahns are fortunate to have a state education leader of Kim Burningham’s commitment and passion working on their behalf, and we are certain that Kim and the entire Utah State Board of Education will continue their tireless efforts to implement real reforms that, unlike vouchers, are proven and effective to improve Utah’s public schools for all its children.”

Utah Voters Crush Vouchers

2007-11-07T10:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, more than 60-percent of Utah voters rejected what would have become the nation's first universal voucher program. The vote ended an 8-month, multi million dollar campaign that attracted national attention. Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. and Republican legislative leaders supported the law, which was passed by a single vote in the Legislature. Voucher opponents, led by the Utah Education Association teachers' union, gathered 124,000 signatures to force it into a voter referendum. Their hard work and dedication to Utah's children paid off.

"Tonight, with the eyes of the nation upon us, Utah has rejected this flawed voucher law," said state School Board Chairman Kim Burningham. "We believe this sends a clear message. It sends a message that Utahns believe in, and support, public schools."

Overstock.com chief executive Patrick Byrne, who contributed $3 million to support vouchers, called the referendum a "statewide IQ test" that Utahns failed. "They don't care enough about their kids. They care an awful lot about this system, this bureaucracy, but they don't care enough about their kids to think outside the box," Byrne said.

A Child’s Day (3 Years Ago)

2007-11-06T13:41:00.000-05:00

A Child’s Day: 2004 examines the well-being of children younger than 18 and provides an updated look into how they spend their days. Published by the U.S. Census Bureau, the report (summary here) is based on the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) and addresses children’s living arrangements, family characteristics, time spent in child care, academic experience, extracurricular activities and more.

Main points: Parents are more active in raising their children and children get less television time.

Other highlights:

- About half of all children 1 to 5 are read to seven or more times a week.

- The percentage of children participating in lessons, such as music, dance, language, computers, or religion, went up for 6- to 11-year olds, from 24 percent in 1994 to 33 percent in 2004 .

- From 1994 to 2004, the percentage of children who changed schools went down for 6- to 11-year-olds, from 30 percent to 26 percent. For 12- to 17-year-olds, the percentage of children who changed schools dropped from 52 percent to 42 percent .

- From 1994 to 2004, the number of children 12 to 17 who repeated a grade declined from 16 percent to 11 percent. For children 6 to 11, the rate remained the same at 7 percent.

All Eyes on Utah

2007-11-01T13:52:00.000-04:00

Although his arguments are flawed, Washington Post op-ed columnist George F. Hill made one very true point in his column today:

"In balloting more important to the nation than most of next year's elections will be, Utahans next week will decide by referendum whether to retain or jettison the nation's broadest school choice program."

And George...listen to Kim.

Listen to Kim

2007-10-31T14:40:00.000-04:00

Former NASBE President, Utah State Board Chairman, and advocate for Utahns for Public Schools, Kim Burningham, wrote a thoughtful editorial for the Deseret Morning News outlining the anti-voucher argument.

His five point analysis of the fundamental flaws in the voucher law provides voters with a clear argument against the referendum.

1. The voucher law provides little accountability
2. Voucher schools lack availability
3. Vouchers will have high costs for the taxpayer
4. Vouchers will not improve performance or reduce class size
5. Utahns are wiser investing in our public schools

We can only hope that the people of Utah listen to Kim. There are tremendous national implications of the decision made by Utahns next Tuesday.

Universal PreK Center Stage

2007-10-30T09:42:00.000-04:00

Universal prekindergarten is a hot topic these days- presidential candidates, scores of governors, and many others are singing its praises.

The New York Times published an article that outlines many of the main arguments in support of universal prekindergarten and discusses the implications of such a system on both low-income children and their more affluent peers. A worthwhile read.

New NAGB Members

2007-10-29T17:15:00.001-04:00

Secretary Spellings has appointed five new members, including one state board member, to the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), the panel that oversees NAEP. They are:

• Warren T. Smith, vice chair, Washington State Board of Education

• Steve Paine, state school superintendent, West Virginia Education Department

• Lou Fabrizio, director, Division of Accountability Services, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

• Henry Kranendonk, mathematics curriculum specialist, Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership

• Susan Pimentel, standards and curriculum specialist, Hanover, N.H.

Their terms run through 2011.

Kentucky Commissioner Finalists Named

2007-10-29T11:48:00.000-04:00

The Kentucky Board of Education announced the names of four of the five finalists for Commissioner of Education. (The remaining finalist’s name will be released after that individual is contacted and confirms his or her continued interest in the position.)

The vast majority of the candidates are current or former Kentuckians- something many members of the board were looking for after a previous search resulted in the candidate resigning amid questions about her experience.

The finalists are:

- Jon Draud, state representative for the 63^rd District and a former superintendent of the Ludlow Independent school district

- Richard Hughes, a professor at Morehead State University and former superintendent of the Hardin County school district

- Larry Vick, superintendent of the Owensboro Independent school district

- Jim Warford, executive director/CEO of the Florida Association of School Administrators and a former chancellor for Florida’s public schools

The board's goal is to name a new commissioner by Nov. 13, but board Chairman Joe Brothers said some details may not be final by then. Brothers said the board wants the public and the media to help vet the candidates to avoid the problems it had with the last search. "We're counting on the entire state and those educators in our communities in the commonwealth to help us."

Déja vu all over again?

2007-10-29T09:57:00.001-04:00

That’s what South Dakota Attorney General Larry Long said to describe a new education finance lawsuit filed against the state. Long was chief deputy attorney general when the state won against a similar lawsuit back in 1994.

“The state won across the board [in 1994] and you know what? The system didn’t collapse. South Dakota students aren’t flunking out of high school, and South Dakota students are able to get into college, and some are actually doing pretty well. None of the ‘sky is falling’ scenarios came to pass,” says Long now.

According to the Daily Republic, “The plaintiff in the new lawsuit is the ‘South Dakota Coalition of Schools, et al.’ — a group supported by some parents and students, 74 school districts and the SDEA. The suit claims that the Legislature is failing its constitutional obligation to adequately fund schools. A study that’s the basis of the current lawsuit claims that annual funding for K-12 education in South Dakota is falling short of needs by $134 million to $406 million a year.”

But now the State Board of Education is knee-deep in the issue. “Long’s ire had been raised by a Thursday Daily Republic news story. The story revealed that two members of the state Board of Education had said during depositions that the state is not providing adequate funding for education.

‘Here’s the deal,’ Long said Friday. ‘Members of the state Board of Education don’t have the power to give school districts a nickel, unless they pull it out of their own pocket and do it personally. It’s the Legislature that has the power to give K-12 education more money, and guess where the Legislature has to go and get it. They’ve got to come and get it from you and me.

‘Here’s what this lawsuit is all about,’ he continued. ’The school districts were unable to convince the Legislature to do that, so now they’re trying to convince courts to order the Legislature to do that,’” reports the newspaper.

State Board Member Named Ombudsman

2007-10-26T15:24:00.000-04:00

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty appointed state board member Tonya Vidal Kinlow as the first ombudsman for public education in the District. In an announcement Fenty commented that Kinlow “will be the city's face of customer service for education.”

The ombudsman position is considered critical to Fenty's school reform effort and is responsible for investigating parental complaints. Kinlow currently serves as vice president for government relations at the District of Columbia Hospital Association and is an appointed member and vice president of the D.C. State Board of Education. She also is the vice chairman of the board of DC Voice, an advocacy group for schools. She will resign from the hospital association and the state board upon starting as the ombudsman.

Update on Kentucky State Board's Chief Search

2007-10-25T17:38:00.001-04:00

“The board will meet Sunday to select three finalists and will announce those names. After background checks, the candidates will be interviewed Nov. 13. The board aims to name a commissioner that day,” reports the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Decline in School Junk Food

2007-10-22T16:45:00.001-04:00

“Spurred by the growing crisis in child obesity, the nation’s schools have made “considerable improvements” in nutrition, fitness and health over the last six years, according to a new government survey that found that more schools require physical education and fewer sell French fries.

The survey, which is conducted every six years, shows that more schools than six years ago offer salads and vegetables and that fewer permit bake sales. More states and school districts insist that elementary schools schedule recess and that physical education teachers have at least undergraduate training. More states have enacted policies to prohibit smoking at school and to require courses on pregnancy prevention,” reports the New York Times.

Atta Board

2007-10-19T17:17:00.001-04:00

The Kansas State Board gets an “atta board” from the Lawrence World-Journal editorial page.

“Improving public schools in Kansas isn’t purely a matter of dollars and cents, but the state school board is on the right track by focusing on increased funding for teacher salaries and full-day kindergarten…..”

CDC's School Health Education Resources (SHER)

2007-10-19T17:04:00.001-04:00

CDC’s Centers and Divisions have developed a wide variety of science-based and other instructional materials that can help schools enhance existing health education curriculum and instruction. CDC’s School Health Education Resources (SHER) is a unique, user-friendly web tool that consolidates these resources in one convenient location. SHER helps Pre-K-12 classroom teachers, school nurses, counselors, curriculum directors, and school administrators easily locate CDC’s instructional resources.

SHER features instructional materials aligned with the National Health Education Standards, Second Edition, 2007, and CDC’s Characteristics of Effective Health Education Curriculum. The online database is searchable by:

Health education topics commonly found in a comprehensive school health education curriculum.
Four types of resources (curriculum and lessons, teacher instructional materials, student materials, and fact sheets).
Grade level groupings (Pre-K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12).

SHER provides the sole comprehensive, user-friendly place to browse and access these resources at CDC. It is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/SHER